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BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan (May 10, 2008) - The sound of
idling humvees resonated in the air as the Parwan Police Mentoring
Team commander briefed his team on mission-related convoy
operations. Once orders were received and the brief concluded, the
team mounted up and prepared to roll; their mission destination -
Dandar, a small village in the Parwan province of Afghanistan.
Army Capt. Mark Moeckli and his team rolled out of Bagram Air
Field and embarked on a scenic and treacherous journey over winding
mountain roads.
Their task was to instruct the Afghanistan National Police on
hand-to-hand combat, community policing, coordination-cell training
and criminal investigation.
Moeckli's team was made of servicemembers who were trained in an
array of military occupational specialties. With their expertise
combined, they made a highly-skilled and effective team - ready to
tackle the task of teaching the ANP necessary skills to remain
effective, said Moeckli.
The confident commander seemed secure in his team, who began
work immediately.
Some of the Afghan people do bad things, but most of the Afghan
people want to see the Taliban gone and their country safe - just
like we do, said Moeckli after returning from a meeting with Col.
Masoum Farzaie, ANP, to discuss the day's objectives.
While the PMT leadership met with the ANP colonel, the remaining
members prepared for a physical-apprehension-restraint techniques
class.
We took it upon ourselves to give these training classes, said
Army Capt. Donald Young, Idaho National Guard and PMT leader.
The PMT is a highly-efficient team of Soldiers and Airmen who
teach a variety of classes based upon the needs of the police in
each district, said Young.
The day's classes were taught by the team's Airmen, who are
charged with training ANP in two provinces and 17 districts, and
who recently taught ANP how to search personnel and control access
to resources.
The training is very good for us, said Dawa Jan, ANP officer.
Our main goal is security and the classes the Americans give us
help prepare us for that Goal.
During the hands-on part of the class, Tech. Sgt. Chris Padron,
deployed from Cannon Air Force Base, N.M., coached ANP officers and
gave them useful tips to help master the techniques.
I love doing what I do," said Padron. "Teaching the Afghanistan
National Police has been a great experience.
Becoming an ANP officer is not an easy task, explained one
officer. At minimum, applicants must have a high school education,
go through testing and then attend a six-week course at one of the
country's four academies.
Their training is augmented by U.S. forces, which help the ANP
retain the training they received at the academy.
It is good for my policemen to learn from the Americans, said
Farazie. They have improved greatly since the Americans have come
to teach them.
The PMT travels all over Parwan province and coaches ANP
officers in effort to meet a goal of enabling the ANP to function
effectively, without the assistance of Coalition forces.
We want to make the Afghanistan National Police sufficient
because in the end it is not about us at all, it is all about them,
said Young.
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